Man, I love Apfelwein

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Mutilated1 said:
hmm... do you suppose it would be ok to carbonate in the bottles ?
Not in the original Apple juice bottles. These are not designed to hold pressure and will expand under pressure. They may hold, but it won't be pretty.
Now soda bottles would do the trick if you have some empty 2 liters.

Craig
 
Edcculus said:
I was thinking about doing this with my whole batch since I'm probably not going to carbonate. It would save a little time, and make a very easy bottling day. Let us know how it turns out.


I dunno about that, but I saved them to use sometime...then I found they make great yeast washing bottles :D
 
CBBaron said:
Now soda bottles would do the trick if you have some empty 2 liters.

I suppose you can tell SWMBO that you're only having one!!! :D

A 2-liter once opened will start going flat.

Also if you drink a two liter it will get you F-U-B-A-R-ed. Alcohol-wise it would be equivalent to ~10 BMC's. However it would hit you real fast!!! (since its no more liquid than 5-12oz bottles.) You'll be saying WTF happened. :drunk:

It'll be easy bottling.
 
If yer worried about it going flat too quickly, maybe try 1 liter or even 20 oz. bottles instead. Save the 2 liter bottles for when there more than 1 person drinking...
 
98EXL said:
I dunno about that, but I saved them to use sometime...then I found they make great yeast washing bottles :D
I fill em' 3/4 full with water, toss them in the freezer and use them to cool the water baths my bucket and carboys are sitting in.
 
BlindLemonLars said:
I fill em' 3/4 full with water, toss them in the freezer and use them to cool the water baths my bucket and carboys are sitting in.

I use cranberry jugs for that, sit nicely with the brew pot to chill the wort, but I get what you are saying though:mug:
 
:p I am trying 1 gallon made right in the Kroger apple juice bottle. I just bought a rubber stopper and an airlock at the home brew, drank 1 glass of apple juice to make room for the sugar & pitched some yeast. I can go through 5 gallons of beer a week, but I am just going to try 1 gallon of this. Thanks for the recipe Ed.
 
Adolphus79 said:
If yer worried about it going flat too quickly, maybe try 1 liter or even 20 oz. bottles instead. Save the 2 liter bottles for when there more than 1 person drinking...


I've got a bunch of 22 oz glass bottles that I used for my first extract batches about two years ago and havent touched since and bottled my initial 3 gallon batch in 16 of those. I inspected them after 48 hours of conditioning and a very fine layer of yeast has settled on the bottom and I'll be opening one soon to check it's progress.

I love Apfelwein too!
 
I ordered a better bottle just for more Apfelwein (ok, I'm 3 weeks behind not 2) but they sent me a 6 gallon. SHould I get more sugar or what? I don't want the headspace do I?
 
98EXL said:
I ordered a better bottle just for more Apfelwein (ok, I'm 3 weeks behind not 2) but they sent me a 6 gallon. SHould I get more sugar or what? I don't want the headspace do I?

I still use only 2 lbs if I use my 6 gallon BB or my 5 gallon BB. It won't make a noticeable difference. Enjoy!
 
same recipe, just in the 6 gallon bottle huh? Still 5 gallons of AJ?

Edit: And thanks for the answer Ed!
 
98EXL said:
same recipe, just in the 6 gallon bottle huh? Still 5 gallons of AJ?

Edit: And thanks for the answer Ed!


I sure hope the head space doesn't cause a problem.
Mine is 6 gal with 5 gals of apfelwein chugging along.
 
I used Martinellis 100% apple juice. No preservatives, never frozen. I used a 5 gallon Better Bottle, and filled it pretty close to full. Im getting a bit of foam in the airlock. I did use vodka, so Im not worried about anything getting back into it.

Will this subside after a day or so. Fermentation did start slowly yesterday after I pitched the yeast. This morning it was really going. Im thinking I should pull out my airlock and replace it with a clean one, but am not sure how soon I should do that.

Edit-BTW, I have a bottle of foam control. If I add that will it be good or bad?
 
SoCalBrewing said:
I used Martinellis 100% apple juice. No preservatives, never frozen. I used a 5 gallon Better Bottle, and filled it pretty close to full. Im getting a bit of foam in the airlock. I did use vodka, so Im not worried about anything getting back into it.

Will this subside after a day or so. Fermentation did start slowly yesterday after I pitched the yeast. This morning it was really going. Im thinking I should pull out my airlock and replace it with a clean one, but am not sure how soon I should do that.

Edit-BTW, I have a bottle of foam control. If I add that will it be good or bad?

It might take a day or two. One other way would be to take a sanitized turkey baster and remove a few ounces. That's what I did when I filled up a BB too full.

Martinelli's eh? You're making high end Apfelwein. Please let us know how it turns out in a couple of months. I've been thinking about it, but it costs twice as much as the Tree Top.
 
Yeah it was pretty pricey stuff. I did it by accident though because when I went to the store I thought I couldnt get anything that was from concentrate, and this is the only one I found. Oh well though. Im more about quality anyways.

I will definitley let you know how it turns out. :mug:

Note-I just checked and the foam has started to receed into the neck. I just pulled the airlock, rinsed it real quick with water and refilled it with Vodka. Id bet $1000 that that wouldnt have given the opportunity for any baddies to get in. Ive still got a little bit of foam coming through though, so I may need to do it a couple more times over the next few days.
 
Jezus Christ. 102k views. Edwort your the king. Ill send you a six pack when this Edworts Apelwein ala Martinellis is finished.
 
in 3 days it will be 4 weeks of fermentation.

I tasted it tonight and it was watery! It was full of bubbles.

Is this normal? I hope it will get some flavour.

i took a reading and it showed below 1.


wife says it like vinegar and alcohol.....

It was still cloudy, however there is no way i can pound this back even after some Wiesers Rye.
 
Started batch 2 today used brown sugar and Nottingham ale yeast for a different taste...
I love this stuff!
 
Ed or anyone, I have an old Mr.Beer keg that is just sitting around doing nothing, I want to start using it to make some more apfelwein. My question is would it be bad to use a Mr.beer for brewing since it doesnt have an air lock, as I plan on keeping it in the primary (mr.beer) for well over a month?
 
I just started brewing last week and have seen this recipe on multiple forum signatures. I'm not a fan of sweet ciders so this will probably be right up my alley. I was thinking of carbonating 1/2 a batch and leaving the rest flat. Do you need to add something to kill off the yeast in the flat portion and, if so, what should be used?

Can't wait to give this stuff a try!
 
Ah, well I read to page 111, and didnt see a final thought on my 2 questions...

About the smell that lasts a few days... A couple people suggested adding yeast nutrient, and others said switch the yeast to Cote Des Blancs. Do either of these suggestions get rid of the smell? I'm in a small apartment at the moment and have to do this in the closet, and if SWMBO catches a whiff of sulphur...well...no more apfelwein (!) :p.

Also, about how many weeks should we expect to wait for bottle carbonation at ~70F or so?

Thanks!
 
SoCalBrewing said:
Jezus Christ. 102k views. Edwort your the king. Ill send you a six pack when this Edworts Apelwein ala Martinellis is finished.

Sweet! King EdWort. Kinda snappy. :cross: I like it!

Thanks.
 
Danny013 said:
Ah, well I read to page 111, and didnt see a final thought on my 2 questions...

About the smell that lasts a few days... A couple people suggested adding yeast nutrient, and others said switch the yeast to Cote Des Blancs. Do either of these suggestions get rid of the smell? I'm in a small apartment at the moment and have to do this in the closet, and if SWMBO catches a whiff of sulphur...well...no more apfelwein (!) :p.

Also, about how many weeks should we expect to wait for bottle carbonation at ~70F or so?

Thanks!

Use yeast nutrients or yeast energizer as directed on the bottles. It eliminates the rhino farts. I have made 5 batches so far w/o the awefull smell you talk about, however each time I've used nutrients or energizer. Also 4 out of 5 batches that I made have been with Cote Des Blancs. Its is a good fruity yeast and requires nutrients to work, without it, it tends to get stuck. I forgot it this last go around....it stalled..... Then added it and in 10-15 seconds later, I had a bubble per second for 21 days straight. Adding it was like dropping in an alka-selter. It started fizzing like crazy.

:mug:
 
Schlenkerla said:
Use yeast nutrients or yeast energizer as directed on the bottles. It eliminates the rhino farts. I have made 5 batches so far w/o the awefull smell you talk about, however each time I've used nutrients or energizer. Also 4 out of 5 batches that I made have been with Cote Des Blancs. Its is a good fruity yeast and requires nutrients to work, without it, it tends to get stuck. I forgot it this last go around....it stalled..... Then added it and in 10-15 seconds later, I had a bubble per second for 21 days straight. Adding it was like dropping in an alka-selter. It started fizzing like crazy.

:mug:

Awesome, I'm going to have to pick up some yeast nutrient this afternoon. I assume the 1 time you didn't use Cote Des Blancs you used Montrachet? If so, did the addition of nutrient or energizer get rid of the smell?

Thanks for the response!

Can't wait to try the recipe, Ed!
 
Made my second batch yesterday, followed the same recipe as before except I used 1 gallon of a different brand of juice (the other 4 gallons were the store brand I used before). Came home today to smell the wonderful aroma of apples and rotten eggs. Mmmmm, tasty! It's weird that the first batch, which used all store brand juice, didn't have that smell.

Time to start blaming the dogs! :)
 
I just got kegging equipment and was curious. I have two fermenters right now with Apfelwein in them (5th week, 2nd week). The older batch isn't done clearing yet, but i was wondering if i could keg it to free up my fermenter? If i leave the Apfelwein in the keg with CO2 for additional clearing time, would it affect the final product? Since i'm new to kegging i'm not positive, but if you keg condition don't the first few glasses have the majority of the sediment in them?
 
efreem01 said:
I just got kegging equipment and was curious. I have two fermenters right now with Apfelwein in them (5th week, 2nd week). The older batch isn't done clearing yet, but i was wondering if i could keg it to free up my fermenter? If i leave the Apfelwein in the keg with CO2 for additional clearing time, would it affect the final product? Since i'm new to kegging i'm not positive, but if you keg condition don't the first few glasses have the majority of the sediment in them?

I'd wait till it was very clear before kegging. I don't get much if any sediment with the first glass that way.
 
Danny013 said:
Awesome, I'm going to have to pick up some yeast nutrient this afternoon. I assume the 1 time you didn't use Cote Des Blancs you used Montrachet? If so, did the addition of nutrient or energizer get rid of the smell?

Thanks for the response!

Can't wait to try the recipe, Ed!


You guessed right, I used Monty. Yes it works for it too. The mfg'r of Monty, Lesaffre, suggests it with these strains. I traded emails with a guy named Gunther!! :D

Rhino Farts : Hydrogen Sulfide: Rotten Eggs

Here's a link from Lesaffre
http://www.lesaffreyeastcorp.com/wineyeast/superfood.html

The Monty Links
http://www.lesaffreyeastcorp.com/wineyeast/products.html

BTW - Don't over do the nutrients. Follow the directions. I understand too much makes it have an ammonia-like smell/taste. I've never noticed this in any of my ciders.
 
Edwort -

Right now I using my Sam Adams Boston Lager Glass to drink my 8 month old AW. The laser etching at the bottom keeps the head foamy as it sits in the glass. Boy oh boy does it age well in the bottle!!!! I believe this will be a currency at XMas time!!!

BTW - I keep making it so it can age each batch age.

If any of you have a SA Glass try drinking AW from the SA glass!!!

:mug:
 
Schlenkerla said:
Edwort -

Right now I using my Sam Adams Boston Lager Glass to drink my 8 month old AW. The laser etching at the bottom keeps the head foamy as it sits in the glass. Boy oh boy does it age well in the bottle!!!! I believe this will be a currency at XMas time!!!

BTW - I keep making it so it can each batch age.

If any of you have a SA Glass try drinking AW from the SA glass!!!

:mug:


I posted about this earlier in the wine forum, but I didnt like AW until it had aged about 6 months, its much different than when its only a few months old. I cant wait to see what its like at a year!!! What about cold conditioning?
 
I think the cold conditioning helps mellow it quite a bit, it does for my beer. 50% of my first batch was cold conditioned. I have a lot of beer cold conditioning so my rest of apfelwein (AW) #1 is getting the warm conditioning due to little space available. (I have a whole fridge full of beer.) What I drank today was at basement temp yesterday at 5PM. I threw about 8 in the fridge yesterday at that time.

As for most part my stuff, mainly the fruit AW is getting the cold conditioning. I've noticed some funkiness in some of the fruited AW, but my friends seem to think its oxidation. I don't know if this is right. None of my beer has oxidation and I have lagers 10 months old w/o oxidation. I use PET for 90% of what I drink. None of my glass bottled AW has an defect what so ever. (Its unfruited) I tend to think that I have too much fruit pulp in these early fruit batches, so it might be more of a yeast bite/fruit pulp problem.

In fact I think plain non-fruited montrachet stuff is perfect. It was perfect after 2 weeks in the bottle according to my HB Club. In the last four months each meeting they anticipated my breaking out the AW. One person bogarts the AW each time!!!

All of the fruited cider is made with Cote De Blancs. It wasn't until this last batch that I wasn't greedy about my yield and left most if not all of the lees behind at racking. So time will tell. I will see with the Blackberry and the Plain AW made with Cotes fairs. Its cold conditioning at 44F right now.

:mug:
 
I took 3 gallons in my portable kegerator to my brew clubs annual picnic. It was 4 month old Apfelwein. Outside at the lakeside picnic, ice cold, crisp & clean Apfelwein was so freshing. I downed two glasses in a flash as it was hot and the the Apfelwein was so tasty. I stopped after that and drank some water as I knew it would catch up. SWMBO, on the other hand did not have as much self discipline. :D
 
cnbudz said:
I just found a great shot to go with some apfelwein. Goldschlager, the cinnamon goes with the apple very nicely.
When you're drinking that combo, pace yourself and keep an eye on the floor...I have a feeling it might fly up and hit you in the face at some point! :drunk:
 
Ed I have to admit that I didnt really like AW at first, but the aged stuff atleast for me was in a different class. Very smooth and unwine like. I am going to save a bottle and open it at the year mark to see how it will be.
 
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